Saudi Arabia has provided a new online system to enable would-be umrah pilgrims whose trips have been cancelled to get refunds for their visas and other services fees associated with them, following the kingdom’s decision to temporarily halt entry to pilgrims over fears of the spread of the deadly coronavirus. 

 

Authorised pilgrimage agents in different countries will be allowed to submit an electronic request to reclaim the fees paid by travellers, Saudi's hajj and umrah ministry announced in a statement on Sunday.

 

The measure to block umrah pilgrims, who may visit Islam’s holy sites at any time of the year, was taken by the kingdom on Thursday.

 

The annual hajj pilgrimage, a major religious obligation which draws millions of Muslims from around the world  each year, is set to commence at the end of April. 

 

Over the course of the past two months, the new coronavirus, which emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected more than 87,000 globally and killed almost 3,000, most in China so far.